Crane-type stacker

ABSTRACT

A material handling apparatus comprising a telescopic mast secured at its upper end to a movable overhead support and having a load carriage vertically movable along the lower movable mast section and interengaging means between the load carriage and the mast preventing movement of the load carriage upwardly along the lower mast section until the load carriage is raised to a position adjacent to or above the lower end of the upper fixed mast section.

United States Patent [191 Thomas [451 Feb. 12, 1974 CRANE-TYPE STACKERRoger V. Thomas, Willoughby Hills, Ohio [73] Assignee: McNeilCorporation, Akron, Ohio [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.:192,579

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser No. 9,637, Feb. 9,1970,

[75] lnventor:

abandoned.

[ 52] US. Cl. 212/124, 214/16.4

[51] Int. Cl. B66c 19/00 [58] Field of Search 212/124-130; 187/9;214/164, 42

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,250,182 5/1966 Nansel212/55 8/1965 Dolphin 187/9 5/1962 Baumann 187/9 Primary ExaminerRichardA. Schacher Assistant ExaminerGene A. Church Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Wa'tts, Hoffmann, Fisher & Heinke [57] ABSTRACT A material handlingapparatus comprising a telescopic mast secured at its upper end to amovable overhead support and having a load carriage vertically movablealong the lower movable mast section and interengaging means between theload carriage and the mast preventing movement of the load carriageupwardly along the lower mast section until the load carriage is raisedto a position adjacent to or above the lower end of the upper fixed mastsection.

8 Claims, Drawing Figures PATENIEB 3,791 ,529

sum 1 or 2- Fig. I.

INVENTOR ROGER V. THOMAS Wm, M 41 ATTO/ZNE Y5.

CRANE-TYPE STACKER This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 9,637,

filed Feb. 9, 1970, now abandoned.

1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to material handlingapparatus having a vertical mast assembly supported by and extendingdownwardly from an overhead movable support, an elevatable load carriageguided for vertical movement by and along a vertically movable lowersection of the mast assembly, and power-actuated means for raising andlowering the load carriage and wherein the lower mast section may beraised relative to the fixed mast section to provide additional headroom or floor clearance to permit the crane to be readily moved about awork area or to facilitate its movement thereabove.

2. Prior Art Overhead material handling apparatus of the travelingcrane-type is known, including a trolley supported on a movable bridgeand having a downwardlyextending telescopic mast along which apower-operated elevatable load carriage isguided for vertical movementand including supplemental means for raising the lower mast section.Apparatus of this type is shown in United States Cotesworth et al. Pat.No. 2,947,426, issued Aug. 2, 1960.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention provides material handlingapparatus, particularly of the so-called stacker crane type, including avertically extending telescopic mast assembly having its upper endconnected to an overhead support and comprising three or more members.guided for vertical movement by and along another. At

least two of said members-being mast sections and another a loadcarriage. Power means for raising one of the members and an operativeconnection between the one member and the member along which it-movesfor preventing such movement until the one member is raised apredetermined distance and thereafter permitting such movement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical view of a.material handling apparatus embodying the present invention and havingits upper end connected to an overhead movable support; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While the present invention issusceptible of embodiment in various devices, it is herein shown asembodied in a bridge-type overhead traveling crane A supported by andmovable along spaced runway rails 12,14.

The crane A comprises a bridge 16 including girders 18, 20 that extendtransversely of the rails 12, 14 and end trucks 22', 24 connected to theopposite ends of the girders. The end trucks include wheels which rideon the tread portions of the rails 12, 14 and support the travelingcrane for movement along the crane runway.

A carrier or trolley B is supported on horizontal flange portions ortreads of the girders 18, 20 for movement therealong. The trolley Bincludes a frame portion 28 and pairs of wheeled trucks 30 and 32 whichsupport the opposite ends of the frame portion 28 and which ride on thebottom horizontal flanges of the girders 18, 20. Each of the end trucks30 is provided with a reversible electric motor 34 for driving thewheels thereof to move the trolley along the crane bridge in aconventional manner.

The trolley B includes an elevatable load carriage D guided andsupported in its vertical movement by a vertical mast assembly Cdependingly supported from the frame portion 28 of the trolleyB by atrunnion pin 44. The trunnion pin 44 is supported by a suitable thrustbearing carried by a support member 46 mounted between transverse framemembers 48, 49 of the trolley frame. The trunnion pin 44 passes througha bull gear 50 fixed to the upper end of the mast assembly and a member52 below and in engagement with the underside of the bull gear. Themember 52 is held in engagement with the bull gear by a nut 54 on thelower end of the pin 44. The trolley frame is provided with rollers 56which engage the upper side of the bull gear and functions to stabilizethe mast assembly. The mast assembly in the illustrated embodiment isrotated by a reversible electric motor 60 carried by thetrolley frameand operatively connected to the mast assembly to rotate the latterthrough a pinion gear 62 in mesh with the bull gear 50. 1

The structure thus far described is of conventional construction andhas, therefore, not been described in detail, it being understood thatother suitable structure may be utilized as a mast, for supporting themast for movement overhead, and that the mast need not be rotatableabout a vertical axis. Y

The mast assembly B, shown, comprises a primary or upper mast sectionformed by spaced vertically extending channel members 72, 74 and asecondary or lower mast section 76 adapted to telescope over the primarymast section 70 and including spaced vertically extending channelmembers 80, 82. The members 80, 82 are disposed adjacent. the oppositesides of the primary mast section outwardly of the members 72, 74,respectively. Each of the members 80, 82 carries pairs of wheels 84, 86which engage opposite side walls of the channel in the adjacent one 'ofthe members 72, 74 to guide the secondary'inast section in its movementalong the primary mast section. The vertical spacing of the wheels 84,86prevents rocking movement of the secondary mast section '76 about ahorizontal axis When the latter is extended to form an extension of theprimary mast section.

The channel members 80, 82, like the members 72, 74', face or openoutwardly and the side walls of the channels therein are engaged bypairs of vertically spaced wheels 90, 92 carried on the load carriage Dto guide the carriage in itsmovement along the secondary mast section76. The load carriage includes a frame 94 extending transversely of themast assembly and a pair of load engaging fork members 96, 98 carried bythe transfer frame. The fork members are preferably detachably connectedto the carriage frame and are preferably adjustable toward and away fromeach other to vary the spacing between the fork members.

The load carriage D is raised and lowered by operation of a reversibleelectric hoist motor 100 supported at the upper end of the primary mastsection 70 and connected by suitable gearing to a shaft 102 extendingtransversely of the primary mast section. The shaft 102 carriessprockets 104, 106 and the load carriage is suspended by flexiblemembers or chains 108, 110 secured at their one ends to the primary mastand trained over the sprockets 104, 106, respectively, and connected attheir other ends to the load carriage D. Rotation of the motor 100 willeither raise or lower the load carriage, depending upon its direction ofrotation.

When the load carriage D-is in its lowermost position, the portions ofthe chains 108, 1 between the sprockets and the primary mast section arerelatively straight and when the load carriage is raised, these portionsof the chains form loops between the primary mast channels 72, 74. Thecondition of one of the chains is utilized to actuate a limit switch forstopping the motor 100 when the load carriage obtains its lowermostposition. The uppermost position of the load carriage is determined by alimit switch mounted adjacent the upper end of the secondary mastsection 70 actuated by the load carriage when the latter is moved to aposition adjacent to the upper end of the mast assembly to stop theelevating operation of the motor 100. The actuation of the motors 34 and110 are controlled from a pendant control station P suspended from thetrolley 26 by a flexible cable 112.

As the load carriage D is elevated from a low position, for example, itslowermost position shown in FIG. 1, the secondary mast section 76 israised along with the load carriage by the engagement of two rollers120, 122 on the load carriage with the lower ends of verticallyextending bar-like members 124, 126, respectively, forming a part of thesecondary mast section 76. The rollers 120, 122 are carried by brackets130, 132, respectively, on the upper part of the frame 94 of the loadcarriage and spaced outwardly from opposite sides of the secondary mastsection. The bar-like members 124, 126 are located outwardly and inalignment with the front or near flanges or sides 134, 136 of thechannel members 80, 82, respectively, of the auxiliary mast section, asviewed in FIG. 2, and are pivotally connected to the aforementionedflanges of the channel members 80, 82 by upper and lower pairs of linkmembers 137, 138 and members 1411, 142 spaced downwardly from the upperends of the bar members 124, 126, respectively. The link members 137,138 normally extend horizontally. The members 140, 142 are in the formof hell crank levers pivoted at the apex of their respective anglemembers or arms to the flanges 134, 136 of the channel members 80, 82,respectively, with one arm of each lever normally extending horizontallyand pivoted to the bar members 124, 126, respectively. The other arms ofthe members 140, 142 extend vertically and carry small rollers 144, 146,respectively, rotatably connected thereto.

The rollers 144, 146, engage and roll along the outer edges ofthe frontor near flanges or sides 147, 148 of the channel members 72, 74 of themain mast section, as viewed in FIG. 2, as the secondary mast section 76moves upwardly over or along the primary mast section 70 upon elevationof the load carriage D and secondary mast section. As the upper end ofthe secondary mast section 76 nears the upper end of the primary mastsection 70 the rollers 144, 146 approach cut-out sections or camrecesses 150, 151 in the projecting sides of the flanges 147, 148 of thechannel members 72, 74 of the primary mast section. As the secondarymast section 76 reaches its upper limit of travel along the primary mastsection 170 the rollers 144, 146 drop into the recesses or apertures150, 151 allowing the bar-like members 124, 126 to move upwardly andinwardly relative to the channel members 80, 82 of the secondary mastsection sufficient to clear the rollers 120, 122. The load carriage Dthereafter moves upwardly along the lower mast section 76 with therollers 120, 122 rolling along the outer sides or edges of the members124, 126. The load carriage moves upwardly past the lower ends of themembers 124, 126-which are now so positioned that they do not engage butclear the load carriage.

One of the features of the present invention is the fact that the loadcarriage D can be elevated to a position closely adjacent to theunderside of the frame 28 of the trolley B. As the load carriage islowered from its upper position it moves downwardly along the secondarymast section 76 which is retained in its up position by the engagementof the rollers 144, 146 in the cut-out section 150, 151, of the primarymast section with the rollers 120, 122 rolling along the outer edges ofthe bar-like members 124, 126. As the load carriage Dreaches the lowerend of the secondary mast section 76 the rollers 120, 122 roll off ofthe bar-Iike members 124, 126 allowing the members to move downwardlyand outwardly to a position in which they rest upon the rollers 120,122, respectively. Continued downward movement of the load carriage isaccomplished by downward movement of the secondary mast section 76.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates the foregoing description is that of the preferred embodimentand that the invention might be otherwise embodied. The mast sectionsmay be of any desired length and whether or not the lower end of thesecondary mast section will be raised up to or beyond the lower end ofthe primary mast section or allowed to stop at some position below thelower end of the primary mast section will be a function of the relativelengths of the mast sections and the vertical position of the recesses150, 151, etc. The members 140, 142 and their associated rollers may bereplaced by members fixed to the members 124, 126 and normally abuttingagainst the primary mast section, which members would drop into anaperture long enough to permit required vertical movement of the members124, 126. Alternatively, the members 124, 126 or equivalents thereofcould be fixed to the load carriage with the projecting arms of themembers 140, 142 arranged to engage the upper end thereof andsubsequently slide along the inner sides of the members upon the lowermast section reaching a predetermined raised position.

As further altneratives to the construction shown, the mast could befixed to the trolley rather than being rotatably connected to it, haveits upper end connected to some suitable means of support other than atrolley movable along a crane bridge, comprise mast sections of anysuitable relative lengths, and/or more than two mast sections with thehoist means connected to one rather than to the load carriage, etc. Itis the intention to hereby cover all adaptations, modifications and useof the invention disclosed coming within the practice of those skilledin the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a material handling apparatus a vertical telescopic mast assemblycomprising a plurality of relatively movable members, means operativelyconnecting one of said members to another of said members for movementtherealong, a third member, means for connecting said third member tosaid one of said members other of said members.

2. In a material handling apparatus a vertical mast assembly comprisinga plurality of relatively movable members, means operatively connectingone of said members to another of said members for movement therealong,a third member, means for connecting said third member to said one ofsaid members for movement therealong, means for raising said thirdmember, first abutment means on said third member, a fourth memberpivotally connected to said one of said members by spaced links andhaving its lower end engageable with said abutment means on said thirdmember, a second abutment means connected to said fourth memberengageable with and movable along said other of said members, anaperture in said other of said members in the path of movement of saidsecond abutment means along said other of said members whereby saidfourth member will disengage said first abutment means upon said secondabutment means engaging in said aperture. I

3. In a material handling apparatus a vertical mast assembly comprisinga plurality of relatively movable members, means operatively connectingone'of said members to another of said members for movement therealong,a third member, means for connecting said third member to said one ofsaid members for movement therealong, means for raising said thirdmember, first abutment means on said third member, a fourth memberpivotally connected to said one of said members by spaced links andhaving its lower end engageable with said abutment means on said thirdmember, a second abutment means connected to said fourth memberengageable with and movable along said other of said members, anaperture in said other of said members in the path of movement of saidsecond abutment means along said other of said members, and means forlimiting movement of said one of said members along said other of saidmembers upon said second abutment means engaging in said aperture.

4. In a material handling apparatus a vertical mast assembly comprisinga plurality of relatively movable members, means operatively connectingone of said members to another of said members for movement therealong,a third member, means for connecting said third member to said one ofsaid members for movement therealong, means for raising said thirdmember, first abutment means on said third member, a bell crank leverpivotally connected to said one of said members and having one armconnected to said first abutment means, second abutment means on theother arm of said bell crank lever engageable with and movable alongsaid other of said members, an aperture in 7 said other of said membersin the path of movement of said second abutment means along said otherof said members whereby said bell crank lever will be disconnected fromsaid first abutment means and movement of said one of said members alongsaid other of said members will be limited upon said second abutmentmeans engaging in said aperture.

5. In a material handling apparatus a vertical mast assembly comprisinga plurality of relatively movable members, means operatively connecting.one of said members to another of said members for movement therealong,a third memberfmeans for connecting said third member to said one ofsaid members for movement therealong, means for raising said thirdmember, first abutment means onsaid third member, a fourth memberpivotally connected to said one of said members by spaced links andhaving its lower end engageable with said abutment means on said thirdmember, a bell crank lever pivotally connected to said one of saidmembers and having one arm connected to said fourth member, secondabutment means on the other,

arm of said bell crank lever engageable with and movable along saidother of said members, an aperture in said other of said members in thepath of movement of said second abutment means along said other of saidmembers whereby said fourth member will disengage said first abutmentmeans and movement of said one of said members along said other of saidmembers will be limited upon said second abutment means engaging in saidaperture.

6. In a material handling apparatus a movable overhead support, avertical telescopic mast assembly comprising a plurality of relativelymovable mast sections, means connecting the upper end of one of saidmast sections to said overhead support, means operatively connectinganother of said mast sections to said one of said mast sections formovement therealong between a first position in which its lower end isbelow the lower end of said one of said mast sections and a secondposition above the first position, a load carriage, means for connectingsaid load carriage to said another of said mast sections for movementtherealong between positions adjacent to the lower and upper ends ofsaid an-' other of said mast sections, means connected between said onemast section and said load carriage for raising and lowering said loadcarriage and contracting and extending said mast, and means preventingmovement of said loadcarriage along said another of said mast sectionsunless said other of said mast sections is in awedetermined .raisedposition along said one of said mast sections.

7. In a material handling apparatus a movable overhead support, avertical mast assembly comprising a plurality of relatively movable mastsections, means connecting the upper end of one of said mast sections tosaid overhead support, means operatively connecting another of said mastsections to said one of said mast sections for movement therealongbetween a position in which its lower end is below the lower end of saidone of said mast sections and a position in which its upper end isadjacent to the upper end of said one of said mast sections, a loadcarriage, means for connecting said load carriage to said another ofsaid mast sections for movement therealong between positions adjacent toopposite ends of said another of said mast sections, means for raisingsaid load carriage from a position adjacent to the lower end of saidanother of said mast sections to a position adjacent to the upper end ofsaid one of said mast sections, abutment means on said load carriage andsaid another of said mast sections for moving said another of said mastsections with said load carriage, and means disengaging said abutmentmeans and limiting downward movement of said other of said mast sectionsalong said onevof said mast sections when the upper end of said other ofsaid mast sections reaches a position adjacent to the upper end of saidone of said mast sections.

8. In a material handling apparatus a movable overhead support, avertical mast assembly comprising a plurality of relatively movable mastsections, means connecting the upper end of one of said mast sections tosaid overhead support, means operatively connecting another of said mastsections to said one of said mast sections for movement relative theretobetween a position in which its lower end is below the lower end of saidone of said mast sections and a position in which its upper end isadjacent to the upper end of said one of said mast sections, a loadcarriage, means for connecting said load carriage to said another ofsaid mast sections for movement therealong between positions adjacent toopposite ends of said another of said mast sections, power means at theupper end of said other of said mast sections connected by a flexiblemeans to said load carriage for raising said load carriage, firstabutment means on said load carriage, a member pivotally connected tosaid other of said mast sections by spaced links and having its lowerend engageable with said abutment means on said load carriage, a bellcrank lever pivotally connected to said other of said mast sections andhaving one arm connected to said member, second abutment means'on theother arm of said bell crank lever engageable with and movable alongsaid one of said mast sections, an aperture in said one of said mastsections in the path of movement of said second abutment means alongsaid one of said mast sections whereby said member will disengage saidfirst abutment means and said other of said mast sections will be fixedto said one of said mast sections upon said second abutment meansengaging in said aperture.

1. In a material handling apparatus a vertical telescopic mast assemblycomprising a plurality of relatively movable members, means operativelyconnecting one of said members to another of said members for movementtherealong, a third member, means for connecting said third member tosaid one of said members for movement therealong, means connectedbetween said another member and said third member for contracting saidmast, means on said third member and said one of said members forlimiting movement of said third member relative to said one of saidmembers in an upwardly direction, means disengaging said means andlimiting movement of said one of said members along said other of saidmembers when said one of said members is in a predetermined positionalong said other of said members.
 2. In a material handling apparatus avertical mast assembly comprising a plurality of relatively movablemembers, means operatively connecting one of said members to another ofsaid members for movement therealong, a third member, means forconnecting said third member to said one of said members for movementtherealong, means for raising said third member, first abutment means onsaid third member, a fourth member pivotally connected to said one ofsaid members by spaced links and having its lower end engageable withsaid abutment means on said third member, a second abutment meansconnected to said fourth member engageable with and movable along saidother of said members, an aperture in said other of said members in thepath of movement of said second abutment means along said other of saidmembers whereby said fourth member will disengage said first abutmentmeans upon said second abutment means engaging in said aperture.
 3. In amaterial handLing apparatus a vertical mast assembly comprising aplurality of relatively movable members, means operatively connectingone of said members to another of said members for movement therealong,a third member, means for connecting said third member to said one ofsaid members for movement therealong, means for raising said thirdmember, first abutment means on said third member, a fourth memberpivotally connected to said one of said members by spaced links andhaving its lower end engageable with said abutment means on said thirdmember, a second abutment means connected to said fourth memberengageable with and movable along said other of said members, anaperture in said other of said members in the path of movement of saidsecond abutment means along said other of said members, and means forlimiting movement of said one of said members along said other of saidmembers upon said second abutment means engaging in said aperture.
 4. Ina material handling apparatus a vertical mast assembly comprising aplurality of relatively movable members, means operatively connectingone of said members to another of said members for movement therealong,a third member, means for connecting said third member to said one ofsaid members for movement therealong, means for raising said thirdmember, first abutment means on said third member, a bell crank leverpivotally connected to said one of said members and having one armconnected to said first abutment means, second abutment means on theother arm of said bell crank lever engageable with and movable alongsaid other of said members, an aperture in said other of said members inthe path of movement of said second abutment means along said other ofsaid members whereby said bell crank lever will be disconnected fromsaid first abutment means and movement of said one of said members alongsaid other of said members will be limited upon said second abutmentmeans engaging in said aperture.
 5. In a material handling apparatus avertical mast assembly comprising a plurality of relatively movablemembers, means operatively connecting one of said members to another ofsaid members for movement therealong, a third member, means forconnecting said third member to said one of said members for movementtherealong, means for raising said third member, first abutment means onsaid third member, a fourth member pivotally connected to said one ofsaid members by spaced links and having its lower end engageable withsaid abutment means on said third member, a bell crank lever pivotallyconnected to said one of said members and having one arm connected tosaid fourth member, second abutment means on the other arm of said bellcrank lever engageable with and movable along said other of saidmembers, an aperture in said other of said members in the path ofmovement of said second abutment means along said other of said memberswhereby said fourth member will disengage said first abutment means andmovement of said one of said members along said other of said memberswill be limited upon said second abutment means engaging in saidaperture.
 6. In a material handling apparatus a movable overheadsupport, a vertical telescopic mast assembly comprising a plurality ofrelatively movable mast sections, means connecting the upper end of oneof said mast sections to said overhead support, means operativelyconnecting another of said mast sections to said one of said mastsections for movement therealong between a first position in which itslower end is below the lower end of said one of said mast sections and asecond position above the first position, a load carriage, means forconnecting said load carriage to said another of said mast sections formovement therealong between positions adjacent to the lower and upperends of said another of said mast sections, means connected between saidone mast section and said load carriage for raising and lowering saidload carriage and contracting and extending said mast, and meanspreventing movement of said load carriage along said another of saidmast sections unless said other of said mast sections is in apredetermined raised position along said one of said mast sections. 7.In a material handling apparatus a movable overhead support, a verticalmast assembly comprising a plurality of relatively movable mastsections, means connecting the upper end of one of said mast sections tosaid overhead support, means operatively connecting another of said mastsections to said one of said mast sections for movement therealongbetween a position in which its lower end is below the lower end of saidone of said mast sections and a position in which its upper end isadjacent to the upper end of said one of said mast sections, a loadcarriage, means for connecting said load carriage to said another ofsaid mast sections for movement therealong between positions adjacent toopposite ends of said another of said mast sections, means for raisingsaid load carriage from a position adjacent to the lower end of saidanother of said mast sections to a position adjacent to the upper end ofsaid one of said mast sections, abutment means on said load carriage andsaid another of said mast sections for moving said another of said mastsections with said load carriage, and means disengaging said abutmentmeans and limiting downward movement of said other of said mast sectionsalong said one of said mast sections when the upper end of said other ofsaid mast sections reaches a position adjacent to the upper end of saidone of said mast sections.
 8. In a material handling apparatus a movableoverhead support, a vertical mast assembly comprising a plurality ofrelatively movable mast sections, means connecting the upper end of oneof said mast sections to said overhead support, means operativelyconnecting another of said mast sections to said one of said mastsections for movement relative thereto between a position in which itslower end is below the lower end of said one of said mast sections and aposition in which its upper end is adjacent to the upper end of said oneof said mast sections, a load carriage, means for connecting said loadcarriage to said another of said mast sections for movement therealongbetween positions adjacent to opposite ends of said another of said mastsections, power means at the upper end of said other of said mastsections connected by a flexible means to said load carriage for raisingsaid load carriage, first abutment means on said load carriage, a memberpivotally connected to said other of said mast sections by spaced linksand having its lower end engageable with said abutment means on saidload carriage, a bell crank lever pivotally connected to said other ofsaid mast sections and having one arm connected to said member, secondabutment means on the other arm of said bell crank lever engageable withand movable along said one of said mast sections, an aperture in saidone of said mast sections in the path of movement of said secondabutment means along said one of said mast sections whereby said memberwill disengage said first abutment means and said other of said mastsections will be fixed to said one of said mast sections upon saidsecond abutment means engaging in said aperture.